UK government to mandate SAF by 2025

The UK government is planning to mandate the use of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) by 2025, according to a new report from its working group Jet Zero Council.

The group’s two-year plan to establish and accelerate the delivery of SAF includes a SAF mandate consultation which will open for responses this month, assessing feedback from this in the third quarter (Q3) of this year, confirming the details of the mandate policy in Q1 2024 and legislating the mandate in Q4 2024, ready to start in 2025.

It added the goal of having at least five commercial-scale SAF plants under construction by 2025.

The plan was published during the Sustainable Skies World Summit at Farnborough Airport, where the Jet Zero Council and the Transport Secretary Mark Harper announced the government’s plans to reach “Jet Zero” by 2050.

Alongside SAF, the government said it would invest more than £1m into research on the development of liquid hydrogen aviation technology.

“This government is a determined partner to the aviation industry, helping accelerate new technology and fuels, modernise their operations and work internationally to remove barriers to progress,” said Harper. “Together, we can set aviation up for success, continue harnessing its huge social and economic benefits and ensure it remains a core part of the UK’s sustainable economic future.”